Fence post and stretcher.



F. NOVESS FENCE POSTAND S'TRETCHER. APPLICATION rmzo AUG; 22. 1912.

256,631, Patented Dec. 18,1917.

avweutoz FRHNK NovEsS attozmia FRANK NovEss; or YrsI nnrI, IC AN,

FENCE rosin nn SYTBEITCHERQ headset Specification of Letters Patent, Patentgd Dec, 18, 191 7,

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,706.

sired location and the general object of the invention is to provide a post of this charpanving' drawings, wherein acter which may be located so as to stretch the wires of which the fence iscomposed.

A further object is to provide improved means for bracing the post against strain and for holding the post rotated and the wires tensioned.

Other objects will appear in the-following description.

My invention is illustratedin the the course of accom- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence post constructed in accordance with my invention; v

F ig. 2 is a top plan view of the collar 16, the post being in section; 1 I

Fig. v3 is an under side plan view of the collar16, the post being in section;- f I Fig. 4 is a top plan :view of the collar 14, the post being in section; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the post showing the-means for rotating th'e'postto tighten the wires. 7 1

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the base for the post, which is'preferably L-shaped. At the intersection of the arms of the base, there is a socket 11, within which the fence post 12 is rotatably mounted. This post is preferably tubular and is provided with a plurality of transverse perforations 13 to receive the line wires. Mounted upon the post and rotatable therewith is a collar 14. the upper face of which is formed with ratchet teeth 15, and also mounted upon the post is a relatively fixed collar 16, which is provided with an upper flange 17. the upper face of which is formed with a plurality of lugs 18, having inclined faces, there being perforations 19 extending downward through these lugs at right angles to the inclined faces. The lower end of the collar is formed with a flange 20 and strengthening ribs 21 extend downward from the upperflangeto the lower flange and brace the-upper flange. The lower flange 2O formed with an outwardly protuberant portion 22 through which passes, alocking pin 23. This locking pin when it is forced downward engages withthe teeth '15 on the ratchet collar 14. V a i f or the purpose of holding the collar 16 from rotation and at the same time bracing the post against strain, I provide the braces 2 4. These braces are each formed of arod l bent at its middle to provide approximatelyparallel. upwardly extending legs. 7 The, eup-I' per ends of, these'legs are screw-threaded; Eye-bolts 25 are embedded inxthe base and the 'bight ends of the looped braces extend upward through the perforations 1S) and are screw-threaded for nuts 26,; whichv engage against the inclined faces of the lugs 18.?

In the practical use of this invention, the fence wires are. passed through the perfora tions13 in the post to'any'suitable extentand then the post isrotatedby any suitable means towind upv the wireson the; post; l Vhen the wires have been tightened sufficiently, the pin 23 is forced-downward into engagement with the teeth 15, thus holding the post from rotation, inasmuch as the col lara16 cannot rotate. It will be obvious that thebracesQdnot' only hold the collar from rotatiombutv also brace the post against strain. It will .also be seen thati'theparjts maybe readily disassemble'dor put together. The post is strong, can be taken down at anytime, the'wires of thefence may be tight.- 1 ened or slackcned will, and it will further be seen that there is very little friction in resisting rotation of the posts This wire tightening post will stay locked and inasmuch there are many teeth 15, the adjustment of the wire may be readily made.

Preferably, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the collar 16 is formed on its inner face with protuberances 27 which space the col-' lar from the post so that the post will have a minimum of frictional engagement with the collar 16. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the post may be rotated by means of a wrench comprising a U-shaped band 28 having a lug 29, which may extend into a perforation of the post, this U-shaped band being detachably connected by a bolt 30 to a handle 31.

This wrench may be readily detached from the post by removing the bolt 30 and releasing the band 28 or applied to the post in a manner which will be obvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is '1. A fence structure including a base, a post rotatably mounted in the base and having means for connecting it to a plurality of fence wlres, a collar fast on the post and having ratchet teeth, a collar loose on the post having an aperture, a pin passing through the aperture and adapted to engage with the teeth of the first named collar, and braces fixed at their lower ends and attached to the second named collar and holding it from rotation.

2. A fence structure including a base angular in form, a post rotatably mounted in the base and having means for connecting it to a plurality of fence wires, a collar fast on the post and having upwardly projecting ratchet teeth, a collar loose on the post and having an aperture, a pin passing through the aperture and adapted to engage with the teeth of the first named collar, braces operatively connected to the legs of the base and extending upward and toward the post, and passing through the second named collar, and nuts engagingthe ends of the braces and bearing against the outer face of the collar. I

3. A fence structure including a base, a post rotatably mounted on the base and having means for connecting it to a plurality of fence wires, a collar fast on the post and having ratchet teeth, a collar loose on the post, oppositely disposed braces, each comprising a rod bent to provide two slightly divergent legs, the legs extending upward and toward the collar, means engaging the bight ends of the braces with the base, said legs of the braces passing through the loose collar at different points and being provided with nuts bearing upon the collar, and means detachably engaging the loose collar with Copies of this patent may be obtained for the ratchet teeth on the collar which is fast on the post.

4. A fence structure including a base, av

and extending upward and toward the post i and passing through the flange on the second named collar, and nuts engaging the ends of the braces and bearing against said nut seats.

5. A fence structure including a base, a post rotatably mounted on the base and having apertures for the reception'of fence Wires, a collar fast on the post and having upwardly projecting ratchet teeth, a collar loose on the post and having an upper flange and a lower flange, the lower flange being provided with an aperture and the upper flange having a plurality of apertures, a pin passing through the aperture in the lower flange and adapted to engage the teeth of the first named collar to hold the collars from relative rotation, braces operatively connected to the base and extending upward and through the apertures in the second named collar, and nuts engaging the ends of the braces and bearing against the outer faces of the upper flange of the collar. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses- V FRANK NOVESS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. FISK, L. N. BROWN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, G. i 

